Quantum Acquires Start-Up Symform

Quantum Corp. has acquired Symform, Inc.‘s cloud storage services platform, which is currently used by 45,000 individual users and small businesses in 170 countries.

Quantum is committed to maintaining the service for existing Symform customers and also plans to leverage the technology to expand Quantum’s cloud software capabilities and service offerings in data protection and scale-out storage.

In addition, the company has hired Symform’s development team, including CTO and co-founder Bassam Tabbara, to help build out these offerings.

Symform’s extensible cloud service manages petabytes of storage and billions of data objects under management in a range of use cases. Its technology supports scalability and provides benefits such as self-healing and self-protection that enable simple, non-disruptive technology migration. In addition, Symform’s technology is known for its simple deployment and ease of use.

Other benefits include:

• Flexible options for cloud storage – Symform’s technology offers options for integrating customer data into the cloud, including file sync and share, file backup and archive and system replication, with the ability to move data to and from smartphones, tablets, laptops, workstations and servers (Windows, Linux and Apple platforms). Flexible, modular architecture also allows customers in geographies not serviced by traditional cloud providers to experience the benefits of cloud storage. In addition, the technology can be leveraged in other ways beyond its current uses, including creating private clouds, enabling other service providers and deploying higher-level cloud storage offerings.
• Internet access to files from any device, anywhere – Symform’s technology provides easy access to files from any device, anywhere, without the need to retrieve data through a backup agent or central server. All data is automatically encrypted at the source, and, depending on the hardware configuration, the system can deliver differing levels of service, enabling high-latency cold storage and more active backup and archive.
• Web-based, centralized management of all components – As the foundation of a production cloud, the technology supports 100% web-based, centralized management of all cloud components. This makes it easy to set up and deploy cloud environments for use cases such as file sharing, backup and archive.

“Quantum already provides cloud-based data protection through our Q-Cloud Protect service and other partner offerings, and we recently introduced a cloud solution for content production, packaging and distribution workflows based on our StorNext and Lattus solutions,” said Jon Gacek, president and CEO, Quantum. “The technology and talent we’ve acquired from Symform will enable us to augment these offerings and address a broader range of customer needs, as well as provide enhanced service options to the existing Symform user base.“

“As just one example, we will be integrating Symform software and our platforms to create simple, very cost-effective cloud service options for long-term archive data and cold storage. This would complement our current StorNext-Lattus solutions which provide high performance nearline storage in a private cloud.”

Quantum has completed the Symform transaction and does not expect it to impact the company’s non-GAAP annual financial guidance for the current fiscal year.